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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Quality and Safety Assessment Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #327049

Research Project: Assessment and Improvement of Poultry Meat, Egg, and Feed Quality

Location: Quality and Safety Assessment Research Unit

Title: Effect of sampling location on L* values and pH measurements and their relationship in broiler breast fillets

Author
item Zhuang, Hong
item Bowker, Brian

Submitted to: Poultry Science Association
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/8/2016
Publication Date: 7/11/2016
Citation: Zhuang, H., Bowker, B.C. 2016. Effect of sampling location on L* values and pH measurements and their relationship in broiler breast fillets. Poultry Science Association. Poultry Science, volume 95(E-Suppl. 1), page 29..

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Lightness (CIELAB L*) and pH values are the most widely measured quality indicators for broiler breast fillets (pectoralis major). Measurement of L* values with a spectrophotometer can be done through Specular Component Included (SCI) or Specular Component Excluded (SCE) modes. The intra-fillet location and measurement time used to collect L* and pH of broiler fillets vary between laboratories. There is also a lack of comparison between SCI L* and SCE L* values for broiler fillets. This study investigated the effects of sampling location on L* and pH values of breast fillets, and the relationship between the two color collection modes and with pH. In each of 6 independent replications (separate days), 30 breast fillets (deboned at 6-8 h postmortem) were collected from a commercial broiler processing plant. Meat color (dorsal side) was measured using a Minolta CM-2600d spectrophotometer with settings of illuminant C, 10° observer, and an 8-mm aperture at three different locations (cranial end, center, and caudal end). pH was measured with a spear probe at two different locations at the cranial end. Means separation between the locations was conducted with a paired T-test and Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated. Data showed that there were no differences between the locations for L* and pH in 5 out of 6 replications (P > 0.05). For L* values, the only significant difference noted between the cranial end and caudal end was less than 1.5 units. The only significant location difference for pH was 0.05 units. Overall, the L* values from SCI mode were consistently higher than those from SCE mode; however, the differences were less than 0.2 units and the correlation coefficient between the modes was greater than 0.99. Differences in the correlation coefficients between SCI L* or SCE L* values with pH were minimal (less than 0.03). These results indicate that taking one measurement at the center location of fillets for L* values and one at the cranial end for pH is sufficient for the assessment of broiler fillet quality. Either SCI or SCE mode can be used to collect L* values from broiler fillets and correlated with pH without impacting the overall results.